Vuletic: Kurti's ambitions are bigger than Kosovo's independence

Sociologist Vladimir Vuletic says that Self-Determination has broader ambitions than Kosovo's independence from the very beginning, commenting on the announced engagement of this movement in the elections in North Macedonia.

Kosovo's independence, he says, is just the first step towards the final solution to the Albanian national issue, as Kurti envisions it.

A homogeneous national state that includes all Albanians is one of Kurti and Self-Determination's undisclosed goals, Vuletic states, reminding that this is a way of solving the national issue reminiscent of the 19th century.

"As long as the international order is like this, nothing can be done. But when we see that a time is coming when the entire global order is being tested, when tensions and conflicts arise in different parts of the world, this could seriously escalate tensions. It then becomes not only a problem for Serbia and Kosovo but also for Greece, Montenegro, Macedonia... It homogenizes not only Albanians but all those whom such a policy by Kurti would threaten," Vuletic says.

He adds that an attempt to destabilize North Macedonia would be a clear signal to other governments in the region and a warning that this is not the end of Kurti's ambitions.

Nevertheless, Vuletic says, Kurti is primarily trying to strengthen his position vis-a-vis Belgrade in this way.

"His message is that if you don't allow us or help us to immediately resolve the issue of Kosovo's independence, then we will ignite the entire Balkans," Vuletic explains.

Vuletic recalls that in the former Yugoslavia, Kosovo was the initial spark that awakened other appetites in republics.

Now, he warns, expanding the "Albanian issue" to the entire Balkans could affect the security of the entire region.